Black Cod with Pickled Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes & XO Sauce
Black cod, or sablefish, is incredibly rich with a smooth, buttery texture. It’s perfect for carrying flavorful marinades, punchy garnishes, and deeply savory sauces. That’s why we’ve paired it with pickled shimeji mushrooms and XO sauce. Originating in Hong Kong, XO is an umami-rich sauce made from dried shellfish, ham, garlic, and chilis. Pick some up at your local Asian grocery store, or make our vegan mushroom XO.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the black cod
4 (6-ounce) black cod fillets, bones removed
¼ cup sake
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Chili flake, to taste
For the pickled mushrooms
7 ounces shimeji mushrooms, broken into small clusters
¾ cup rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon chili flake
1 bay leaf
Neutral oil
To serve
1 cup xo sauce, store-bought or homemade (see note)
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, thinly sliced (see note)
Crusty bread or white rice
METHOD
Marinate the black cod. In a small pot, combine all the ingredients except for the fish. Simmer for 5 minutes and transfer to a shallow dish to cool. Once the marinade has cooled, add the cod pieces, gently rolling in the marinade to coat evenly. Store in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 day.
Pickle the mushrooms. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Do this in two batches if your pan isn’t big enough. Don’t crowd the pan!) While the mushrooms cook, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When the mushrooms are browned and cooked through, add them to the bowl of pickling liquid. Make sure the mushrooms are submerged. Set aside for at least 10 minutes (so the flavors have time to blend), then taste for seasoning and adjust.
Roast the black cod. Set the broiler on high and position the top rack 1 foot below. Arrange the fish on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Broil for 5 minutes, rotate the tray, spoon a little extra marinade over the fish, and broil for another 2 minutes or so, until the cod reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
Plate. Place a spoonful of the xo sauce on the plate, and top with the fish. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the filets, and sprinkle with a little flakey salt. Spoon a few pickled mushrooms over the fish, along with a splash of pickling liquid. Finish with a scattering of scallions. Goes well with rice or crusty bread, to soak up all that sauce.
Note: To make curly scallions, slice your scallions thinly on a very steep bias (almost lengthwise). Submerge the scallions in ice water for 5 minutes, watch them curl up, then drain.
FURTHER READING
